Growers are vying to become the nation's top strawberry brand as demand rises at home and abroad, and amid efforts to promote local produce and stimulate prefectural economies.
Often bought as a gift for weddings, birthdays or parties, strawberries can command high prices in Japan: One perfect strawberry can fetch as much as ¥50,000 ($419) on an online shopping site.
Reflecting heated competition, some 50 new varieties of strawberry have been registered in Japan since 2011, bringing the total number of recognized strains to 253 as of March, according to the farm ministry.